Arrangement in A or How the Sorting Hat Became a Matchmaker
by Razorbackgal0225
Summary: The story of Astoria and Draco, complete with arranged marriages, enchanted jewelry, clever Ravenclaws and sneaky Slytherins. We're 6 years removed from the Final Battle. Life has moved on and people will marry and fall in love, although not necessarily in that order.
1. Prologue

Title: Arrangement in A or How the Sorting Hat Became a Matchmaker

Author: Razorbackgal0225

Rating: T, just in case, for some language down the road

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places or situations from Harry Potter, and can only thank JK Rowling for introducing me to them. Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, everything new is mine.

Author's Note: Well, it was inevitable, as soon as I read the books. And this particular plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone. We're at school only for this Prologue; after that, everyone is adult and mine to twist as I will. With that said, since our main character's sorting isn't necessarily known, I might have taken some liberties with that, but will try my best to stick to known canon as I progress. I welcome any and all comments and subsequent updates will be much longer; this is just to get started. Thanks for reading.

Prologue

_September, 1993_

Astoria Greengrass was nervous. She had lost sight of her older sister Daphne a minute after they had disembarked from the Hogwarts Express at the station. She and the rest of the First Years were being ferried across the vast lake comprised of the darkest water she had ever seen, while Daphne had gone off laughing with her classmates to the horseless carriages. Her sister had at least waved goodbye to her before leaving her with a group of strange kids as they separated. Hogwarts was slightly terrifying at first and having her more experienced sister around would have been comforting.

"Hi," a girl to her right said as the mountain of a man in their boat steered it across the lake. "I'm Catherine Jenkins. But you can call me Cat," the girl had black hair, a friendly smile and didn't seem nearly as nervous as she was.

"Hello," Astoria replied softly. "I'm Astoria Greengrass." This introduction was apparently enough for Cat, who chattered the entire boat ride about all she knew regarding their new school. Her older brother was a second year Hufflepuff who had supplied her with plenty of information. Astoria was grateful for the noise as it gave her something to concentrate on other than the butterflies in her stomach. She nodded politely when needed and didn't have to answer verbally until Cat mentioned the Sorting.

"I'll probably be Hufflepuff since my brother is. Do you have any brothers or sisters here?" she asked.

"Yes," she answered. "My sister is a third year Slytherin."

"Oh," Cat paused for the first time since they had boarded the boat. The look she gave Astoria was borderline sympathetic. "Well, I guess siblings aren't always in the same house. Maybe you'll get put somewhere else."

Astoria frowned at this remark. If her sister was Slytherin, her father had been Slytherin, why wouldn't she want to be? Daphne was always going on and on about her friends in her house and had talked about nothing else the summers she had been home. It was Pansy this, Draco that, Blaise said this, Millecent said that. Granted, she and Daphne tended to be exact opposite, but they were still family and she would feel more secure if they were in the same house. Cat had moved on to discussing Quidditch and professors but Astoria's mind stayed on her comment regarding the Slytherin house.

She continued pondering this as they left the boat, trudged to the front door and climbed a flight of stairs to meet Professor McGonagall. Daphne hadn't been particularly complimentary of the Head of the Gryffindor house, but Astoria thought this had to do more with Gryffindor beating Slytherin in the house cup last year than anything else. She found McGonagall rather kind, if a little stern as she explained the Sorting process. After she gave instruction regarding the Sorting Hat, the group of first years was led into the Great Hall. She momentarily forgot her distress and marveled at the ceiling. Cat had informed her that the ceiling was enchanted to match the sky outside and tonight it was filled with stars, so many that Astoria lost count.

She looked around, noting the four huge tables filled with older students. Looking for the silver and green banner, she found Daphne at the Slytherin table and was comforted when her sister gave her a quick smile and a wave as the names began to be called. She didn't have long to wait before she heard, "Astoria Greengrass." She took a deep breath and stepped up to the stool. McGonagall gestured to the old worn hat sitting on a stool. After having watched a few students take their turn before her, she knew what to do. She picked up the hat and sat on the stool as she placed it on her head.

"Well, well, well," the Sorting Hat murmured in her ear. "Third generation Slytherin, a Hufflepuff mother and a sister currently in Slytherin. Perhaps we should balance out the family. But no, I see you are tremendously clever and brave as well, but don't have the ambition required for that house. While you would fit in with Gryffindor, I see problems later down the road if that is my choice. So instead, you are RAVENCLAW!" the hat finally shouted. A loud cheer exploded from one table and polite applause from the others. She couldn't help but smile at the clapping and shouting coming from her new house as she hopped off the stool and moved to join her table. She glanced towards her sister as she made her way and saw a look of surprise had replaced her former smile. Obviously it wasn't standard for siblings to be in different houses. Astoria hoped Daphne didn't blame her for what had happened.

A blonde girl at the Ravenclaw table moved over slightly, making a place for Astoria to sit. "Hi," the girl said and Astoria noticed her earrings were made from actual radishes. "I'm Luna Lovegood. Please, sit here next to me." Luna's voice was soft and friendly and she instantly liked her.

Astoria held out her hand for Luna to shake. "Thanks. I'm Astoria, but you can call me Ria."


	2. Chapter 1

Title: Arrangement in A or How the Sorting Hat Became a Matchmaker

Author: Razorbackgal0225

Rating: K+, just in case for some language down the road

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places or situations from Harry Potter, and can only thank JK Rowling for introducing me to them. Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, everything new is mine.

Author's Note: I welcome any and all comments. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 1

_May 2003_

"Are you certain your father wasn't joking with you?" Luna Lovegood studied her friend for any sign of insincerity. "Or maybe you're joking with me." She was certain that wasn't the case; the girl sitting across from her was not a prankster of any sort.

Ria Greengrass took another gulp of firewhiskey, hoping to numb the shock and resentment caused by her recent news. "I'm absolutely certain he was serious, as was my aunt." She poured another glass, drinking it down as well before continuing. "Unfortunately, the binding contract he produced proved it was not a joke."

"And there's nothing that can be done to break the contract?" Ginny Potter asked as she sat next to Ria on her couch. As soon as she had arrived back at her apartment from her father's house, Ria had sent an owl to both Luna and Ginny for an emergency meeting. Both had arrived as soon as they could and had been discussing the bomb her father had dropped since. "Nothing at all?"

Ria shook her head. "He's had it reviewed by his lawyer. Not that I think he was upset by the idea, but at least he put up a token of resistance. "Unlike Aunt Greta, she actually congratulated me. And laughed."

"That's ridiculous," Ginny said her voice louder than normal. "You can't be expected to honor some age-old contract that was drawn up before you were even born."

The girl in question sighed heavily. "It probably could have been ignored if the other party hadn't decided they wanted the contract honored. As it is, I don't see that I have any choice."

Luna frowned. "I don't like this. What was your father thinking when he signed something like that?"

"I can tell you exactly what he was thinking, since he explained it to me. He thought 'If this Voldemort fellow takes power, it's much better to be aligned with the right-hand of the devil than in his path. If he doesn't take power, his right-hand will not be around to enforce this.' It's quite Slytherin of him, really." Ria stated.

"There has to be a way out of this," Ginny stated matter-of-factly. "I refuse to call you Ria Malfoy." Ria cringed at the mention of her supposed intended husband. "We have to review that contract."

Ria pulled out a piece of parchment from her bag. "Here you go. I thought the same thing so I asked him for a copy of it." She pushed her hair back out of her eyes before finishing her glass of firewhiskey. "I've read over it four times since I arrived back home and I can't see a loophole."

"We should ask Hermione," Luna piped in. "If anyone can find a way out of the contract, it would be her."

Ria paused, staring at Luna in disbelief. "Hermione? You mean Hermione Weasley, my boss?"

"Or Hermione Weasley my sister-in-law and best friend and your boss at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement" Ginny added, seemingly excited by this idea. "Luna's right, I'll floo her now and she can help." Before Ria had a chance to protest, Ginny walked over to the fireplace and used some of the Floo powder on the mantle. While Ginny talked to Hermione, Ria's head fell back on the couch.

"Just to be clear, you'd be upset about any arranged marriage, right?" Luna asked. "It's not just because it's Draco Malfoy."

Ria nodded, "I would be terribly angry no matter whom it was, but I'm considerably more furious because it's him." She wasn't sure she could say his name without getting sick at her stomach. She had felt that way for the six hours since her father had broken the news to her. A Greengrass girl was contractually obligated to marry a Malfoy son, based on a piece of paper her father and Lucius Malfoy had signed twenty-two years ago. It was enough to make her question if there was any fairness left in the world. Of course, her older sister Daphne had married two years ago, so that left her out of any marriage talks. It was now up to her to fulfill her family's duty.

"Hermione will be here in a few," Ginny said as she returned from the fireplace. "Is there anything else your father said?" she added.

"My father," Ria started. "Let's just say that that while he wasn't necessarily happy, he feels this will be a great way for me to show my support and respect for the family. And my aunt was practically cackling with joy."

"They are still upset you were sorted Ravenclaw, aren't they?" Luna stated more than questioned. When Ria nodded in agreement, she continued, "Well, Hermione is dreadfully clever. I'm sure she'll be able to help somehow. And if not, perhaps we could find some Wrackspurts to send to the Malfoys." Ria and Ginny exchanged a smile. Luna had not changed much since leaving Hogwarts, which is part of the reason the girls were still friends.

When Luna had offered Ria a seat after her Sorting, the girls had no way of knowing they were starting an abiding friendship. Ria had been one of the few at Hogwarts that never thought of Luna as strange, instead remembered how nice she had been to a scared First Year. They had studied together, laughed together and fought beside each other in the Battle of Hogwarts. Ria hadn't been invited to join in the first DA as she was a year younger, but she had joined in the second version when Voldemort's minions had taken over the school. Her closeness with Luna had led to her friendship with Ginny. They weren't as close, but they had the same sense of humor and enjoyed each other's company.

Thirty minutes later, Ria, Ginny and Luna were watching Hermione Weasley read through the marriage contract for the third time. She had made a few notes and read some portions with a frown on her face. After a few more minutes, she placed the contract on the table and faced Ria with a sympathetic expression on her face, one that Ria recognized from work. Her head reflexively dropped in disappointment.

"I'm sorry Astoria; I don't really see how you can get out of it. The terms are extremely clear and unfortunately incredibly binding. As the only remaining single female in your family, I don't think you have a choice," Hermione said quietly. Ria sighed heavily, surprised at how much she had hoped her boss could find something for her to use.

"Are you sure, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

The older girl nodded. "The contract is very well written. It's obvious the Malfoy's made sure that everything was in their family. Including the clause at the end." Ria nodded. Her opinion had been the same, but it was incredibly disappointing to hear the cleverest witch of any age didn't have anything else to say.

"What clause at the end?" Ginny asked.

"Only Malfoy can break the contract. If for some reason he doesn't like me, there is an escape for him. My father must have really thought Voldemort was going to win," Ria explained. "I suppose I should be thankful that he was too worried about his standing in the magical community to become a Death Eater. Otherwise he would have been telling me about this from his cell in Azkaban." Ginny put a comforting arm around Ria as she dropped her head into her hands.

Hermione had been nodding along with Ria's comments about the clause in the contract. She paused a minute before repeating, "Only Malfoy can break the contract."

After a moment of silence, Ria's head jerked up to meet her boss's gaze. "Yes, Malfoy can break it. If he doesn't like me." Her eyes widened and she bit her lip as her mind began to race.

Ginny and Luna straightened as well. "Hermione, you aren't suggesting…" Ginny didn't finish her sentence as she too was thinking.

Hermione stood from her chair. "I didn't suggest anything. I merely pointed out the one clause in the contract that could cause it to be broken. I would certainly never encourage someone I work with to brainstorm ways that she might be found unsuitable to her contracted future husband." She moved to the fireplace, took some Floo powder and stepped inside. "And I would definitely not advocate that she start by determining what characteristics Malfoy doesn't like in a girl." She smiled at the girls and shouted "Weasley House!" before disappearing.

"She's right," Luna finally broke the silence. "You have to make sure that Malfoy doesn't like you."

Ria smiled for the first time since she had been summoned to her father's house. "That shouldn't be too difficult. I was Ravenclaw, so that's already a strike against me."

"You're nice and not a huge prat, so you don't have that in common," Ginny added.

"Did he have a girlfriend in school? That would be a good starting point. I know Daphne was always raving about him, but she never had the best taste," Ria asked.

"I don't know if they were a couple, but Pansy Parkinson was always fawning over him. It was disgusting, but I can't think he would have put up with it if he didn't somewhat like her," Ginny commented.

"Oh, I remember her; I couldn't stand her. She was always so mean to us younger students, teasing anyone that she thought was weaker and wouldn't stand up to her, especially when she was a prefect. I hexed her a couple of times when she was particularly nasty," Ria confessed.

"Well this should be fairly easy," Luna reassured. "You're practically the complete opposite of Pansy already. All you have to do is be nice, sweet and not flatter him."

"It would help if you weren't pretty," Ginny said matter-of-factly. Ria frowned slightly at this statement and Ginny reiterated, "Well, you are. And that could be a disadvantage. He's probably going to find you attractive."

"What if he didn't?" Luna asked. "You should change your appearance."

"You mean wear unflattering clothes and stop fixing my hair?"

Ginny tapped her cheek, deep in thought, and then grinned wickedly. "I think we may need to go a bit farther than that." Ria suddenly felt a little afraid of the red-headed girl, recalling how talented she had been at hexes in school.

As the girls brainstormed ideas to make Ria the opposite of Malfoy's dream girl, in Wiltshire, a tall blonde was answering his father's summons. Draco Malfoy entered his father's study, quite sure what the subject of their conversation would be.

Lucius Malfoy had not changed much since the Battle of Hogwarts. His hair had thinned and more wrinkles appeared on his face, but his manner and attitude had not wavered. Draco waited patiently until his father looked up from his writing. "Ah, Draco, you're here. There's something we need to discuss."

"Yes, Father."

"I've alerted Greengrass of our intention of carrying out the marriage contract. You will wed his younger daughter Astoria before your twenty-fourth birthday." Only someone paying close attention would have noticed Draco clench his jaw at this announcement; other than that, his expression was unchanged. "I understand she is a rather pretty girl. Do you remember her from school?"

"No, Father. Her sister Daphne was in my year, but I believe her sister was two years younger."

Lucius nodded. "Greengrass, his sister Greta and Astoria will be attending dinner in two days." After making this statement, he returned to his writing. Draco paused, expecting more information regarding his intended wife. Instead, Lucius wrote a few lines, and then glanced at his son. "That will be all," he said, dismissing the younger Malfoy. Draco gave a curt nod before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

Two days. He had two days to come up with some reason why this Greengrass girl was unsuitable to be a wife of a Malfoy. He had no intention of marrying some upstart girl that he couldn't pick out of a crowd.


	3. Chapter 2

Title: Arrangement in A or How the Sorting Hat Became a Matchmaker

Author: Razorbackgal0225

Rating: K+, just in case for some language down the road

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places or situations from Harry Potter, and can only thank JK Rowling for introducing me to them. Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, everything new is mine.

Author's Note: I welcome any and all comments. Thanks for reading. This is super, super short, but I felt I needed to update to show that I have every intention of finishing this. I hate to use this as an excuse, but I've been gone a lot for work and it's kept me from really working on it. But I promise, more is coming.

Chapter 2

"I'm not sure this will work," Luna said quietly as she read over the incantation for what seemed like the thousandth time. Ria nodded, understanding her hesitance, but at this point…

"It's my best shot, Luna. Between this spell and the ideas we came up with yesterday, I might be able to convince him I'm the worst possible wife in the world for him." It had been a busy day since Ria had met with her father. All three women had spent every spare minute brainstorming any characteristic they felt Draco Malfoy would despise in a spouse. Ginny had suggested standing up to him at every chance. Luna instructed Ria to be nice to everyone but specifically servants and house-elves. Ria had tried to remember details about her supposed fiancé, but all she could manage was when he had let the Deatheaters into Hogwarts the night Dumbledore had died. That memory itself was enough to drive her to continue searching.

And searched she had. She had thumbed through every book available to find something, anything that could help her. She had stumbled across a bewitching spell, a tried and true love potion and a de-lusting charm, but nothing like what she needed.

And the she found it. In a book older than her grandfather, there was an incantation, a charm that could be placed on any object. It was called _Glamour Negativa_ and would change one person's perception of the holder of the object. Ria had never seen any spell like it, especially anything so specific. It was borderline dark magic, as Luna had point out when Ria had share her plan.

"I'm with Ria," Ginny had announced after reading over the spell and its description. "This will take care of the physical aspect she can't change without her family knowing what she is doing."

"It is really too bad your father and aunt are accompanying you to Malfoy Manor. If it was only you going, you could dress terribly and act horribly," Luna commented.

"Well, they are, so it's settled." Ria stated firmly. "I'm going to use this locket," she reached under her hair and removed her necklace. "It was Mother's so they won't think anything of me wearing it constantly." She placed the locket on the table in front of her and took out her wand.

"How will you know if it worked?" Ginny asked, staring at the necklace curiously.

"That's the main drawback," Ria answered. "This charm will only work on one person. I have to say his name in the charm for it to affect him, so I won't know if it worked until I get to Malfoy Manor. Which," she glanced at her watch, "is somewhere I have to be in three hours." She took a deep breath and read over the instructions one last time. "So, here goes nothing." She swished her wand, and said "_Glamour Negativa Draco Malfoy._" On her last word, the locket flashed navy blue, and then nothing.

"I guess it's done?" Ginny said. Ria picked up the necklace and put it back on. She waited a moment and then glanced at her friends.

"No difference?" she asked.

"Not at all," Luna answered. "You look lovely as usual."

Ria shrugged. "Well, I guess I won't know until I get there. And if it didn't work, I'll still have the list of unattractive qualities to try and emulate. Surely I can cause him to dislike me enough that he'll call it off."

"If not," Ginny said, "you can always use a Bat-Bogey Hex on him. He hates those."

Three hours later, Ria apparated into her father's foyer. She checked her appearance in the hall mirror, smoothing down her hair and straightening her locket. She wore a set of blue dress robes, trimmed in bronze, chosen specifically to remind Malfoy that she was a Ravenclaw and not a preferred Slytherin, another one of Ginny's ideas. Anything to bring out her 'worst' qualities.

"Ah, Astoria," Greta Winickus greeted her least favorite niece. "You look," she paused and sniffed snootily, "presentable." Ria bit her tongue, literally, to keep from responding. "I'm thankful for that. From your reaction to the news the other day, I was afraid you would try something ridiculous, like trying to make young Malfoy find you unattractive."

"Why in the world would I do that, Aunt Greta?" Ria couldn't stop herself. "All I've ever dreamed of is being married off to the highest bidder. I can't wait to join my new family," her voice was laced with heavy sarcasm.

"Watch your tone, young lady," Greta snapped, pointing her bony finger in Ria's face. "This is an opportunity for you to make the Greengrass family proud. An opportunity you will take. With your historically poor choices in friends and deciding to lower yourself and work for a living, it is about time you do your part to ensure our blood continues to be some of the best in the magical world."

Ria took a deep breath and counted to five. Her aunt always knew what to say to make her fly off the handle, but she was determined to play her part this evening. On the surface, she would be the good daughter, content to fulfill her family destiny. "My friends or the fact that I have a job have nothing to do with how I feel about our family. But don't worry. I have no intention of doing anything tonight that will bring shame to the illustrious Greengrass name."

Before her aunt could reply, they were joined by her father. "Oh, hello, Astoria. I didn't know you had arrived. You look rather nice, though you might have chosen green considering where we are going. But there's no time to change. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes sir," she answered, trying her best to look happy about where they were headed.

"I'm so glad that you've decided to see the silver lining to this situation," her father said as they walked towards the chimney to floo to Malfoy Manor. "I know that it doesn't seem like it, but I believe everything will work out for the best. You're marrying into one of the richest magical families, so you'll never want for anything. Even your sister's marriage pales in comparison."

Ria turned her head as if to look down the hall, but instead to hide the sudden tears that had welled in her eyes. Most days she could overlook the differences between her and the rest of her remaining family, but today, they were glaringly obvious. She had no doubt her sister Daphne would have been ecstatic to be in her position, especially considering Daphne's fascination with Draco when they had been in school together. Her aunt obviously thought it was a tremendous match and had convinced her father as well. It was times such as these that caused her to miss her mother so much she felt physical pain. She truly believed if her mother was alive, Renetta Greengrass would have convinced her husband how terrible an idea an arranged marriage was; that the Malfoys were the last family with which Ria would mesh. Unfortunately, Ria had been on her own since her mother had passed away three years ago. Another time and another place, she would have settled down with a nice glass of wine, allowed her self-pity and sorrow to overtake her and have a good cry, but she didn't have that option. Instead she was headed to the lion's den, off to meet her supposed future; one that she refused to accept.

Luckily, her aunt and father were so excited about the prospect of dining with the Malfoys that they kept up a steady stream of chatter until her father threw the Floo powder and announced their destination. She felt the familiar jolt of traveling in this manner as they stopped in a new chimney. She took a deep breath, touched her locket for a jolt of courage and entered the foyer to begin Operation Breakup.


	4. Chapter 3

Title: Arrangement in A or How the Sorting Hat Became a Matchmaker

Author: Razorbackgal0225

Rating: K+, just in case for some language down the road

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places or situations from Harry Potter, and can only thank JK Rowling for introducing me to them. Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, everything new is mine.

Author's Note: A special thanks to the readers who either favorited or followed this; it's nice to know that people are interested. I welcome any and all comments.

Chapter 3

"Mrs. Greta Winickus, Mr. Nathanial Greengrass and Ms. Astoria Greengrass," the ancient-looking house-elf announced the Malfoy's dinner guests as they entered the formal dining room. Lucius and Narcissa moved to the door to meet the new arrivals, but Draco stayed back. He wouldn't greet his 'fiancé' any sooner than necessary. He recognized her father Nathanial from his few visits to the Manor to discuss business with his father. The aunt he had met a once or twice and disliked her immensely, as she was loud and obnoxious. The youngest of party walked into the large room hesitantly and Draco wondered briefly if she was any more inclined to want this marriage than he was.

When he had been informed of his intended bride, Draco tried to remember any contact he had with Astoria Greengrass. She had been two years younger and in a different house, so interaction with her had been minimal in school. They didn't run in the same social circle; because of that, the only time they had been in the same place at the same time had been Daphne's wedding two years earlier. Draco had been too busy dodging a still persistent Pansy Parkinson to take much notice of the younger sister, who had served as a bridesmaid. When he had discussed his situation with him, Blaise Zabini had been impressed, mentioning that Astoria was decidedly attractive and that Draco was almost lucky.

With all this information, Draco was expecting a younger, prettier version of Daphne. He couldn't have been more surprised. Where Daphne had been curvy with blondish hair, her sister was rail thin, almost sickly looking, with dark brown hair. Her skin was paler than his and had a definite greenish-grey tint to it, and her eyes were a flat, dull green. If seen in a crowd, he wouldn't have given her a second look, much less through her 'rather pretty,' as his father had described her. In fact, she was borderline unhealthy-looking and Draco knew he would have trouble making it through dinner, much less pretend to want to be engaged to this girl.

Before she took more than three steps into the dining room, Ria was sure that that glamour had worked. Draco couldn't hide the look of revulsion that had passed across his face when he saw her. While Ria wasn't particularly vain about her looks, she didn't think her normal appearance would cause that reaction. She hid a smile, happy that the enchantment had succeeded. Now she only had to make her personality unattractive and Operation Breakup would be a success.

"Ah, welcome Nathanial, Greta," Lucius greeted the elders in the party. "And this must be Astoria," he moved to stand in front of the girl promised to his son. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," Ria answered, not bothering to correct him on her preferred name. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco flinch. Apparently the glamour worked on her voice as well, if his reaction meant anything.

"And this is my wife, Narcissa," the Malfoy matriarch floated towards her with her hand extended.

"Hello dear," Narcissa took Ria's hand in her own, covering it in a friendly gesture. "If you don't mind me saying, you are as lovely as your mother."

Ria blinked in surprise. She hadn't been compared to her mother in years and she certainly hadn't expected it from a Malfoy. "Thank you, ma'am." She paused a moment, trying to think of something nice to say in return. She glanced around and replied, "You have a very interesting home."

Draco stared at his parents in shock. He knew they were invested in this evening going well; he had been basically threatened by his father to be on his best behavior. But for his mother and father to act as though the girl in front of them was anything but unattractive was too much to understand. As such, he still had a look of confusion on his face when his mother brought the girl over to him.

"And of course, this is Draco," Narcissa said, "I believe you two have met."

Ria faced Draco for the first time since her years at Hogwarts. She had forgotten that he was handsome, albeit coldly. He was taller than she remembered, towering over her by several inches. He was dressed in his customary black, which made his blonde hair stand out. She cursed herself mentally for even noticing his looks and wished he had used the _Glamour Negativa_ on himself. She forced a smile had said, "Hello Draco."

"Astoria," he nodded in her direction. "It's…nice to see you again." He offered her a stiff arm, "May I escort you to dinner?"

Ria started to take his arm out of habit, but remembered she needed to show that she wasn't fit to be a Malfoy. "That's alright. I can walk myself to the table. Being escorted is a bit old-fashioned, don't you think?" She walked towards the large table, hoping her aunt and father hadn't been close enough to hear her response.

Draco stood watching Astoria walk away, stunned by her refusal of his arm. It was as if the girl didn't understand the social niceties expected at a house such as his. He was even more surprised when his mother walked by, patting his arm as she did. "She does have a point, dear. We are all going to be family anyway, so no need to stand on formality." Since he was still staring at Astoria, he thought for a moment that her expression changed into one of irritation, but when she turned to face his mother, she was smiling. Or at least her version of a smile.

"I'm glad you feel that way Mrs. Malfoy," she commented. "Formality isn't something I really enjoy."

"But she was raised to understand it and to know how to run a household. Don't let her attitude fool you," Greta said, obviously trying to steer the conversation. Draco was still studying Astoria, so he saw her roll her eyes at her aunt's comment. "Her mother and I made sure she would be ready to manage an elegant house such as this."

"Of course," Lucius Malfoy answered. "It is a full-time job, to which Narcissa can attest."

"Oh, I have a job already," Ria chimed in. "I work for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"You work?" Narcissa asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Yes ma'am. I have since I left Hogwarts. I enjoy my work very much. I work for Hermione Weasley." Ria decided to take another stab at pointing out her flaws.

"You work for Granger?" Draco spoke for the first time in a few minutes. "You must be joking."

"No, I'm not joking. She's an excellent boss; I've learned so much from her," Ria added.

"Well, Astoria," Greta interrupted before her niece could continue, "I'm sure your focus will change once you are married." Ria frowned and started to respond, but her aunt continued. "Lucius, did I hear that you were involved in the funding of the new Gringott's branch?" As the older people began discussing business, Ria took a moment to collect her thoughts. Obviously her aunt was doing her best to present Ria as a perfect candidate to be head of the Malfoy Manor, so this was going to require more work on her part.

Her next opportunity came as the house-elves began to serve dinner. Ria made sure to thank each tiny creature that placed food in front of her, even though she knew they would rather not have attention brought to them. A couple looked at her in horror when she spoke to them, but one female elf gave her a small smile as she refilled her water. Ria glanced out of the corner of her eye each time she interacted with the house-elves, glad to see an expression of confusion mixed with disdain on Lucius and Draco's faces. Narcissa though, didn't seem to be concerned.

As dinner progressed, Ria managed to make a few more comments to help her case. She again brought up her work at the Department, mentioning how smart her boss was without saying her name; she was worried her aunt would use the Silencing Charm on her if she went too far. When Narcissa asked her about her time at Hogwarts, she mentioned how excited she had been to be sorted Ravenclaw as they were thought to be the clever house. And lastly when her father, Lucius and Draco began discussing the Quidditch World Cup, she quietly but firmly stated her dislike for the sport. This was blatantly untrue; with Ginny playing for the Holyhead Harpies, she caught as many matches in person as she could. But the look she received from both Draco and his father was worth the little white lie.

All in all, she was fairly proud of her performance at dinner. With her successful glamour changing her looks for Draco and the statements she had made, she fully expected her father to receive an owl in the next couple of days canceling the engagement. She was even imagining the tantrum her aunt would throw, as her family made their way to the floo, when Narcissa caught her completely off-guard.

"Astoria, dear, since you and Draco haven't had much time to get to know each other, I was thinking you could stay at the Manor this weekend. You could spend some time together and we could also start discussing wedding plans."

So shocked was Ria by the offer that her aunt had a chance to answer for her. "Of course, she would love that," Greta replied enthusiastically. "What a charming idea, Narcissa, allowing the couple to start their lives together."

Ria frowned and clenched her teeth to keep from shouting an unconditional refusal. She obviously hadn't communicated her deficiencies clearly enough. Before she could say another word, her aunt had taken her arm and led her in the chimney. The last thing she saw before her father dropped the Floo Powder and said, "Greengrass Garden" was Draco, his eyes narrowed, still studying her.

"Well," Greta said as they arrived at her father's house. "Hopefully this weekend you can begin to repair some of the damage you did tonight. What were you thinking, bringing up that dreadful boss of yours? And refusing to take Draco's arm? It's almost as if you're trying to break this engagement." Ria knew when her aunt made this comment that she needed to do some damage control. Greta was many things, but stupid was not one of them.

"Please Aunt Greta, I was simply being myself. When I'm," she paused a moment touching her locket again for a boost of strength, her next words hard to stomach. "When I'm married to Draco, he would find these things out anyway. I'm only trying to get to know my future husband."

Her father barked a harsh laugh. "Oh Astoria, you're so naïve. Most people don't have any clue who they are truly marrying until years into a marriage. A little mystery goes a long way." He dropped a kiss on top of her head. "Good night dear."

Ria took out her wand to apparate back to her apartment, suddenly thankful that the invitation to stay at Malfoy Manor had been extended only to her. From her aunt's suspicious look, she wasn't sure her plan would stay a secret long with her family watching. At least she had a couple of days to plan more courses of action. She could use this time staying in the same house as Draco to shed light on her 'flaws.'

Draco watched the fire in his room die out as he finished his firewhiskey. He had seen the look on the girl's face when his mother invited her to stay. She had been unhappy to say the least, which led him to believe she didn't want this marriage to happen anymore than he did. As she had pointed out at least once, she had been a Ravenclaw, so she was clever. He wondered how much of her actions and statements had been an act and if the real Astoria Greengrass had even made an appearance. He swallowed the last of his drink, shaking his head. This coming weekend would be interesting, if his fiancée was as determined to break this engagement as he was. Maybe her being a Ravenclaw would end up being a good thing.


	5. Chapter 4

Title: Arrangement in A or How the Sorting Hat Became a Matchmaker

Author: Razorbackgal0225

Rating: K+, just in case for some language down the road

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places or situations from Harry Potter, and can only thank JK Rowling for introducing me to them. Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, everything new is mine.

Author's Note: Thank goodness for staycations. I might get a couple more chapters finished this week. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 4

Ria glanced around her flat one last time before moving to the fireplace. She had packed her least flattering dress robes, her gaudiest jewelry and the bright purple shoes she had purchased for a costume contest two years earlier. Basically, she was taking any article of clothing she thought would be hated by the Malfoy family with her on what Ginny had dubbed the 'Weekend from Hell.' She would try her best to have this marriage contract declared null and void by the time she was kicked out of Malfoy Manor. Satisfied with her wardrobe choices, she grumpily said her destination as she dropped the Floo Powder.

She stepped out of the marble fireplace into the massive hall yet again. She was greeted by a tiny house-elf, one she thought she had spoken to during dinner two nights ago. "Hello Miss Astoria. I'm Isadora and I will be serving you during your stay," the elf bowed low, her ears touching the floor as she did. "If you will follow me, I will show you to your room." Ria smiled and nodded, trailing after the creature.

They walked through one imposing hallway after another, Ria staring at everything as they traveled. The Manor was dark and rather gloomy, compared to the brightness of Greengrass Garden. Ria couldn't imagine being a child in this house; no matter how she felt about her family now, her mother had made their house a home when she was young. As they continued, she had a random sympathetic thought towards Draco, growing up here, but she quickly quashed it. Malfoy was practically the enemy after all and there was no room for sympathy in her plan.

"This is your room, Miss Astoria," the little house-elf said as she opened the door for a huge bedroom. Ria tried to not be impressed by the size of the room. It was almost twice as large as her flat and certainly bigger than her room at The Garden. "Dinner will be served at seven and the family does dress for dinner."

"Thank you Isadora, I appreciate it," Ria replied. The creature blinked at her owlishly, obviously surprised by her gratitude. She finally grinned at Ria before apparating away.

As she 'dressed for dinner,' a phrase that caused her to roll her eyes, she explored her room a bit. The bed was massive and loaded with decorative pillows and all the furniture seemed to be antiques the likes which she had never seen. She was afraid to touch anything for fear of damaging something valuable. The Manor was more like a museum than a home, she realized. Not that she wanted to consider it, but there was no way she would ever be comfortable living in this place.

This was foremost in her mind as she made her way back to the dining room later, dressed in a set of dull, brown robes which did nothing for her coloring. She would do everything in her power over the next few days to ensure that she or any child of hers would never have to live in a mausoleum such as this. With the size of the house, she wasn't surprised when she became a little turned around and lost. She was just about to call out to Isadora for help finding the correct room, when she heard voices coming from the door she was passing. She put her hand on the doorknob to open it and ask for directions when the subject of the conversation she would interrupt reached her ears.

"Mother, I just don't understand. Why do I have to marry at all and specifically her? Why can't I choose my own wife?" Draco's voice was unmistakable, even with the slight pleading tone she didn't associate with him. As was Narcissa's answer.

"Sweetheart, unfortunately you are in a difficult situation. Your father and I," Narcissa paused for a moment, "well, we made decisions that have consequences with which you must deal. I'm not saying we were wrong," she said in a rush. "We made the decisions we felt were correct based on how we were raised. But our way of thinking is no longer the status quo. Which has put you in this unfair position and for that I'm sorry."

"But why her?" Ria frowned at the contempt in his voice. She was glad her plan was working as far as Draco was concerned, but it still bothered her to hear someone dislike her quite so much. "What makes her so special?"

"I knew Astoria's mother, Renetta, in school. She came from a respectable pure-blood family, just like the entire Greengrass family tree. Renetta was also smart and kind, something I believe she passed on to her youngest daughter, if not her oldest. Astoria will make a fine wife for you and a good mother to your children, while giving them the chance to be accepted into society as we currently are not." This speech was met with silence and Ria was surprised to feel her heart warm fleetingly towards Narcissa for the words regarding her mother. She also began to understand why the Malfoys had decided to enforce the age-old marriage contract. If any Malfoy grandchild was to be treated as anything more than a former Deatheater, their mother would have to be a fine, upstanding, magical citizen. It actually made sense on some level.

"But Mother, she's so…" Ria waited to hear Draco's opinion, to see how well the Glamour Negativa was working.

"She's so what dear?" Narcissa asked.

"Homely," was Draco's response. Ria covered her mouth to stop from laughing aloud. She never thought she would be glad to hear a man consider her that unattractive.

"Homely?" his mother repeated. "You must be joking! She's a very pretty girl. She has some strange ideas, but she's extremely lovely. I feel your distaste for the situation is coloring your perception of her."

"Possibly," Ria heard strong doubt in his answer. There was shuffling in the room and she knew the pair would soon be coming out of the room. She jogged a little farther down the hall, and then continued walking as though she had passed by the door without stopping. The door opened and Draco emerged, followed closely by his mother.

"Astoria, dear, there you are," Narcissa greeted her. "Were you on your way to dinner?" Ria noticed Narcissa's eyes ran over her, and a flash of disapproval passed over her face, but was quickly replaced by a smile. "We are headed in that direction as well, if you'd like to accompany us. I know the Manor can be confusing for those unfamiliar with all the hallways and rooms."

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy. And I did seem to get turned around," she answered.

"Please, call me Narcissa. We will soon be family after all." Since the lady was walking down the hall, she didn't notice both the remaining couple flinch slightly at her statement. Ria touched her locket as she realized that overhearing the previous conversation had given her another weapon in her arsenal. Now, all she had to do was find a way to interject it into conversation.

Draco watched Astoria carefully as he followed the two women towards the dining room. While talking with his mother, it had struck him as odd that everyone, including some of his close acquaintances, considered Astoria Greengrass to be attractive, if not beautiful. He had yet to see the reason why and thought maybe his mother had been right; he had been so ready to dislike her that he was seeing her incorrectly. However, the girl in question was showing him nothing different this evening. Her robes were drab and enhanced the sickly look he had noticed previously. Her dark hair lay in lank hunks and her eyes were again a flat, listless green. Even her shoes were out of fashion, older and not matching her dress robes. It was if she had gone out of her way to make herself unappealing. An idea began to form in Draco's mind. If Astoria was as clever as rumored, perhaps all the comments about working and being nice to servants were to get the contract dissolved. That would explain some of things she had said at dinner previously, but the mystery of her looks was still unexplained. He continued studying his fiancé as they entered the dining room, determined to figure out what was going on.

The meal was again a formal affair. Ria saw Isadora was among the serving corps and made a point to say hello to her and thank her when the house-elf placed anything in front her. As before, she saw Lucius stiffen any time she was polite or grateful and hoped her point was getting across. She mentioned being friends with Ginny, placing as much emphasis on her surname as she could without being blatant. She did worry she went too far with her comment, so she remained quiet until Narcissa brought up the subject of grandchildren.

"I know it's extremely early to be thinking of this, but I do hope you plan on starting a family soon. It's been so long since Draco was little and I rather miss having children around," she said, after asking Ria a few questions about wedding details.

"I actually wasn't planning on having children," Ria stated, extremely grateful the subject had been broached. "I've never been very fond of them and being around my sister's daughter, I don't think motherhood is for me." She crossed her fingers under the table and promised to buy her adorable niece an especially nice present as soon as this was over. "I don't seem to have that motherly instinct that some women have." Ria was afraid to meet anyone's eye after this statement, but she knew her point had been made when she heard silverware clatter against a plate after it was dropped.

"You must be joking," Lucius Malfoy said, speaking for the first time in several minutes. "Of course you'll have a family. The Malfoy name must be carried on."

Ria straightened her spine. She had every intention of having a family someday, but it certainly wouldn't be a Malfoy family and she didn't appreciate having her future mapped out for her by a stranger. This time she did meet Lucius's grey gaze and repeated her sentiment. "While I understand that feeling, I don't see children in my future."

Lucius opened his mouth to continue protesting when Narcissa interrupted. "Well dear, this is something that you and Draco should discuss together after you are married. Perhaps after some time being married, you will have a change of heart. There's no sense borrowing trouble at this point," she finished, this directed at her husband. After a moment, he dropped his napkin next to his plate and left the table without a word. Ria let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, hoping her plan was working. She was becoming more and more uncomfortable lying outright to the Malfoys, no matter how much she didn't want to be one. To ensure she wasn't being too obvious, she struck up a conversation with Narcissa about the gardens at the Manor, touching her locket absently as she did.

This action caught Draco's attention. The locket that Astoria had been wearing both nights was out of place this evening, being elegant and pretty while her robes were so out of date. She also touched it quite a bit, as if to ensure it was still in place. He hadn't talked very much during dinner at all, as he was busy studying Astoria the entire time. While she was polite and gracious, she did nothing to disguise her opposing viewpoints on most subjects, which he would expect from a girl working to win over a new family. He was beginning to be more and more suspicious, and intrigued, that Astoria was plotting something. There was obviously more to her than met the eye.

When dinner was finished, Narcissa suggested that Draco escort Ria back to her room, since she had only been through the Manor once or twice. There was no reason for him to not, so a few minutes later Draco was walking alongside his fiancé through his least favorite part of the house. He knew his mother had given Astoria one of the nicest guest rooms to impress the girl, but the path to that room was always dark and gloomy, even for the Manor. Astoria walked in silence and Draco was surprised that he wasn't uncomfortable with her. He appreciated a nice silence, being an only child in a houseful of grown-ups, and was glad she didn't chatter endlessly like her sister always had. He glanced at her and she appeared to be deep in thought.

"You shouldn't talk about the Weaslette and her husband so much. You're lucky Father didn't start cursing you across the table," Draco said. Astoria tilted her head to look at him, a move he would have found attractive in almost any other girl. "I know Potter is the reason none of my family spent any time in Azkaban, but Father still doesn't care to remember his existence."

"Ginny's my friend," she answered. "And Harry's a good man."

Draco shrugged. "Do you really think either of them will be visiting you once you're a Malfoy? They may not spit on us in public, but we certainly aren't good friends."

Astoria frowned at this remark. "Ginny will be my friend no matter who I'm forced to marry. And this is my room," she gestured towards her door. "Thank you so much for the escort." For the first time, her voice was heavy with sarcasm and Draco decided the real Astoria Greengrass was showing. "Have a lovely evening," she said before slamming the door in his face. Draco grinned. She had slipped up, saying that she was being forced to marry. Astoria was definitely plotting against this arrangement. He walked down the hall whistling, his mood lighter than it had been since his father had informed him of this contract. Maybe this would work out after all.


	6. Chapter 5

Title: Arrangement in A or How the Sorting Hat Became a Matchmaker

Author: Razorbackgal0225

Rating: K+, just in case for some language down the road

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places or situations from Harry Potter, and can only thank JK Rowling for introducing me to them. Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, everything new is mine.

Chapter 5

Ria took a deep breath as she escaped to the garden at Malfoy Manor. All morning, Narcissa had been asking her questions about wedding details; what colors she liked, how many bridesmaids she wanted, what time of day she wanted the ceremony to be. She was surprised actually, by how much of her opinion Narcissa wanted. Ria had expected a predetermined and preapproved wedding package to be shoved at her, but this was quite the opposite. The lady was acting how she imagined her mother would have been at the chance to plan a wedding. It was almost heart-warming. Almost.

Narcissa had excused herself to talk with the staff regarding dinner that evening and Ria had taken the opportunity to explore the grounds outside. It was the only part of the house Ria found truly beautiful, as someone had obviously taken care of the flowers and plants growing there. Everywhere she looked, there were gorgeous blossoms and well-trimmed shrubs. The garden was bright and cheerful, the exact opposite of the rest of the Manor. Sitting out here on a stone bench, she tried to put her current situation out of mind.

Her plan wasn't working quite as well as she had expected. While it was obvious that Draco had absolutely no interest in her, his parents, particularly his mother, didn't share his indifference towards her. As much as she hated to admit it, Narcissa was charming and much warmer than she had expected, causing Ria to feel guilty about her deception. Well, she felt a little guilty until her solace was interrupted.

"I've never understood people's fascination with gardens," Draco said as he approached Ria. "I mean, all of this could be recreated inside with magic, but here we are outside wasting time."

Ria frowned, something she did constantly around Draco. "That's what makes a garden special. When it's grown without magic, but with someone's hard work and consistent care, it matters more."

"Hard work is vastly overrated," he countered, sitting on the bench across the path from her. "Why waste resources and time on something that can be finished with a wave of a wand. That way you can accomplish more."

"Not everything can be solved with magic, you know," she answered.

"That's interesting to hear you say," he said, a slightly emphasis on _you_. Ria straightened, surprised by his comment.

"You don't know me well enough to make that sort of statement, do you?"

Draco shifted, leaning towards her and clasped his hands. "You're right. But isn't that the point of this visit of yours, for us to get to know each other better before we pledge to spend the rest of our lives together?" When Ria narrowed her eyes, he couldn't stop his grin. It was remarkably easy to get under her skin, it seemed. "That's why I followed you out here, so we can start the process."

"Okay," she said suspiciously. "What do you want to know?"

"What exactly do you do at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"

Ria bit her lip in thought before answering, yet another gesture that Draco would have found attractive on most other women. "Are you serious? You actually want to hear about my work?"

He shrugged and responded. "Yes. It's where you spend most of your day, so it seems a good place to start."

For a split second, Ria felt like she was on a first date, sitting across a table from cute boy and trying to somewhat impress him. Then she remembered what was really happening and realized this was an opportunity to un-impress him. "Mostly I research," she began, determined to make her job sound boring. "We get a lot of requests for opinions on different magical laws, so I research them and present the information to the upper level of the Department so they can make a decision." This wasn't technically true, but it was what her job had been when she first started in the Department. She was downplaying her role on purpose, hoping it made her sound less smart, since she had been promoted to writing opinions on her own.

Draco nodded. "And do you enjoy it?"

Ria blinked. He hadn't said anything about how 'unimportant' her job was, which surprised her again. He was being, well, tolerable. "Yes, I do enjoy it. I've always liked researching and learning new things and I get to do that on a daily basis."

That was the first of many questions he had for her in the next half hour. He asked more about her work, even inquiring about Hermione as a boss. He asked about her hobbies, likes and dislikes, and she found herself asking about some of his as well in the normal flow of conversation. He even laughed a couple of times at sarcastic comments she made. All in all, he was charming and much nicer than she had ever anticipated. She was thoroughly confused and was about to leave to clear her mind when he reached into a pocket on his robe and brought out a jewelry box.

"By the way, Mother thought it would be a nice idea if you wore this tonight for dinner," he opened the box and Ria gasped. "It was her mother's and was intended to be passed down to a female Malfoy. As there isn't currently one, we thought you could wear it."

Ria was speechless at the sight of the necklace being presented to her. It was gorgeous, with a large sapphire center surrounded by smaller diamonds on a silver chain. As blue was her favorite color, it was exactly the type of jewelry she would pick to wear. She started to reach out and accept it, but remembered her current necklace and why it was so important.

"Please, offer your mother my thanks, but I prefer to wear this," she touched her locket. "It was my mother's and I always wear it."

"Surely you can make an exception just for this evening?" Draco cajoled. "I think it would look wonderful on you." She almost rolled her eyes, knowing that he found her physically unattractive from his conversation with his mother the night before. "And as you will be Malfoy soon, it seems only natural to include in our traditions."

Ria shook her head. "I prefer much simpler jewelry, so I believe I'll stay with my locket. But thank you, I do appreciate it." She glanced at the necklace longingly one last time before standing from the bench. "I should be going; I have a couple of owls to send before dinner this evening." She walked towards the house as calmly as she could, even though she would have much rather run into the Manor and hid in her room. She did not have much practice lying and she was sure her face had betrayed how much she did like the necklace. Keeping up this charade was getting harder and harder for her.

If Ria had seen the smirk on Draco's face as he rose from his seat and strolled to the house, she would have been even more shaken. He had developed a theory last night after receiving a response to his letter to Blaise asking for a description of Astoria. When he read the picture Blaise had painted of a pretty girl with shiny dark brown hair and attractive curves, he decided for sure she was doing something to distort his view of her. Then, over breakfast that morning, Astoria had again touched her locket before announcing a belief that house elves should be paid for their service, a statement which caused his father to grip his fork so tightly his knuckles cracked. He realized the necklace was probably the object causing the difference in his opinion than the general public; offering his grandmother's necklace as a replacement had been a test. Since she was so protective of her jewelry, he would have to resort to other measures to ensure he was correct.

"Isadora," he called as he walked to his study. The air cracked as the small house elf arrived at his side.

"Yes Mister Draco, what can I do for you?" the elf bowed as she asked.

"Izzy, I need you to do something for me." He explained his plan to the elf who had served him since he was a child.

A couple of hours later, a knock at her door startled Ria as she finished a letter to Luna. "Come in," she called. Isadora entered the room and bowed to her. Ria smiled in genuine pleasure at the elf. "Hello Isadora."

"Hello Miss Astoria. I was wondering if you would like help with your hair. I often help Mrs. Malfoy with hers before dinner so I have plenty of practice."

Ria wasn't used to having someone wait on her. Her flat in the city was small enough that there was no need for help. But Isadora looked so eager to help that Ria couldn't help it, even if she was trying to look un-Malfoy-ish. "That would be lovely, Isadora, thank you."

The house-elf chattered away happily on the joys of serving Narcissa and Draco Malfoy as she wove Ria's hair into a complicated braid. Ria was surprised at this as she would have expected the whole family to be rude and unfeeling to servants, but apparently Isadora didn't feel that way. She listened quietly hoping to get ideas of other things to say to cause Draco to break the contract.

Her hairstyle was beautiful when finished and Ria thanked Isadora as she left to start helping with dinner. Ria continued dressing for dinner, again selecting unfashionable robes in odd colors, even pulling out the gaudy purple shoes she had packed. She had no way of knowing that Isadora was met in the hall by a tall blonde man who accepted the locket the elf had slipped from her neck. He smirked at the success of his plan before knocking on her door. "Astoria, may I speak to you for a moment?"


	7. Chapter 6

Title: Arrangement in A or How the Sorting Hat Became a Matchmaker

Author: Razorbackgal0225

Rating: K+, just in case for some language down the road

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places or situations from Harry Potter, and can only thank JK Rowling for introducing me to them. Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, everything new is mine.

Author's Note: Thanks again to those that have favorited or followed this. I do appreciate it! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it!

Chapter 6

Ria was surprised by the knock on the door and especially when she realized Draco called for her. Even though he had sought her out that morning, she wasn't expecting another visit since she would see him at dinner. She frowned and tried to guess what he could want to talk about. She rose from the vanity table and started towards the door, reaching for her locket to shore up her courage as she did. Her heart began to pound and she broke into a cold sweat when she realized it was missing.

She shook her robes, hoping it would fall out when she did. When that didn't work, she flipped her hair around to see if it had caught while she dressed. Still nothing. When Draco knocked again, she said, "Just a moment," she said, to buy time. She frantically searched near the vanity in case the locket had fallen somewhere on the floor. Before she got down on her hands and knees to check under the bed, she remembered who she was. Exasperated, she pulled her wand out of her pocket and whispered, "_Accio locket!" _Nothing happened. "_Accio locket!" _she repeated, desperation creeping in. The necklace didn't float into the air as she expected.

"Astoria," Draco said through the door, "is everything alright?" Ria was too panicked to hear the smugness in his voice.

She glanced around the room for anything to help her out. The dressing screen next to the closet gave her an idea. She quickly pulled her robe over her head, hung it over the screen and slipped behind it. "Everything's fine. I'm not quite dressed yet, but you're welcome to come in."

This time, Draco frowned. He had expected Astoria to give every available excuse to keep him from seeing her. He patted the pocket of his robe, ensuring the necklace Izzy had slipped him in the hall was still there. It was, so he knew Astoria was in trouble. He opened the door slowly.

"If you don't mind not talking face to face," she continued, her voice coming from behind one of those room dividers his mother used for decoration, "that way I can continue to prepare for dinner."

He was impressed. She had found a way to keep hidden for a few more minutes. There was no way he could demand to see her without being completely ungentlemanly. While he never professed to follow to the rules of decorum, he wasn't ready to call her bluff just yet. He noticed that her voice wasn't anywhere near as grating as it had been before, much more melodious and pleasing. Whatever spell she used was relatively powerful and he considered if he had underestimated his fiancé's resourcefulness. She was resorting to strong, almost dark, magic to stop this marriage from occurring.

"Oh, that's alright," he finally answered. "What I have to discuss won't take long."

Ria waited a moment to hear the purpose of the visit. When he didn't answer, she replied, "And what was it you wanted to speak about?"

"I thought someday next week we could meet for lunch. You know, continue getting to know each other. What day would work best for you?" He saw Astoria's shadow against the dressing screen and she paused at his suggestion. He smirked. She was running out of reasons to avoid facing him. "It will be easy enough for me to rearrange my schedule."

Ria was confused. Draco was certainly playing the obedient son to the hilt, even without an audience. She didn't understand what he stood to gain from this, other than upholding his family's commitments. After overhearing his conversation with his mother, she knew he didn't want to marry her any more than she did him. "Well, I'll have to check my calendar at work. Can I let you know early in the week?"

"Of course. I'll be expecting your owl. I'll leave you to your preparation," Ria heard him move to the door. She exhaled the breath she had unknowingly held and believed she was off the hook. "Oh, by the way, I found your locket on the walk outside. I know how important it is to you, so I wanted to return in myself." She froze. "It is rather lovely, I can see why you like it so." She bit her tongue to keep from cursing the heavens. Of all the times to lose a piece of jewelry. She held her hand out from behind the screen.

"Thank you very much, Draco, I appreciate that." She waited as she expected him to place the necklace in her hand. Instead, he moved back towards her and answered.

"Oh, I'll wait until you're ready, then I can help you put it back on. Make sure this doesn't happen again. After all, what are fiancés for?"

Ria clenched her jaw. He was being so stubborn about this, almost as if...her thought trailed off. He knew or at the very least suspected she was up to something. It was the only explanation for his actions and for his earlier comments in the garden. If she hadn't been so panicked about not having the locket, she might have realized it sooner. Lunch plans, her arse; he was calling her bluff. She dropped her head in her hands and tried to determine her next course of action. "Is anything wrong?" As she was now paying attention, she heard the smugness in his voice which had probably been there the whole conversation. When she noticed this tone, she become even angrier than before. This situation was about more than stopping this engagement; she would not let Draco Malfoy get the better of her.

Thinking quickly, she pulled her robe back over her head. "Thank you so much Draco; that will be lovely. Give me just a moment." She smoothed her hair and as she did, removed an earring. The earring in one hand and wand in the other, she raised her arm again, this time deliberately bumping her elbow against the screen separating them. Draco leapt out of the way as the screen crashed in his direction. "Oh I'm so sorry!" Astoria cried as it landed on his foot.

"Bloody hell!" he yelled and pulled his foot from under the screen. Ria waited until he hopped backwards and turned slightly before she waved her wand over her earring and whispered the incantation once more. As soon as it flashed blue, she placed it back on her ear and faced Draco.

"Oh are you alright?" I hope you aren't too badly hurt." She walked towards Draco, not bothering to hide her lack to actual concern. "We certainly wouldn't want anything to happen to you, now would we?" She hid a satisfied grin, as his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Those eyes studied her carefully and searched for any differences in her appearance. "I am sorry for my clumsiness." She knew her apology sounded hollow and she didn't care.

Draco momentarily forgot his throbbing foot. For a split second, before that damned screen smashed into him, he saw a different Astoria than the one in front of him now. It was for only a moment, but he saw a flash of dark shiny hair and porcelain skin before she returned to her current state. He didn't know how she managed, but knocking the dressing screen over had been enough of a distraction for her to recast her spell. He clenched his fist and felt the chain of her locket which he still held. He thrust it unceremoniously at her, angry to have been outwitted by a girl.

"I'll be fine," he grumbled. She grinned unevenly and revealed crooked teeth. He wondered what her actual smile was like. "Here's your locket."

"Thank you," she answered and took the necklace back from him. "I was thinking about what you said earlier in the garden. I think I would like to wear your grandmother's necklace at dinner this evening. If the offer still stands that is." His jaw dropped at her request. After all of her protesting earlier, now she wanted to wear the necklace? Obviously in all the commotion, whatever magic she worked no longer needed the locket to work. "After all," she continued, "I am going to be a Malfoy."

"Of course," he replied, his voice tight with anger. "I'll have the necklace sent to you in a few minutes."

"Thank you, I appreciate it," she said as she ushered him to the door. "So I will see you at dinner then." He bowed slightly and left.

One side of the door, Ria did a happy dance, proud that she kept her cool and maintained her charade. Not only had she shifted the glamour on the locket to the earring without a hitch, but she would also be wearing the beautiful necklace to dinner. She knew this victory wouldn't last long. Draco was already suspicious of her and she had a feeling he wouldn't let it go. This wouldn't be the only time he tried to discover what she was doing. She would have to be on her toes.

On the other side of the door, Draco felt a mixture of furious, astounded and a slight bit of admiration. She had managed to continue whatever spell she had cast. She was smart and capable, something he had not expected when this mess started. He would never admit it to anyone, but he wanted to know more about the real Astoria. Now he had to find out a way to do that. His anger forgotten, he walked down the hall and brainstormed his next move in this chess game she had started.


End file.
